Connecticut has joined a multistate compact intended to ease the state’s nursing shortage by allowing registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to work across 43 participating states and territories.
Connecticut has joined a multistate compact intended to ease the state’s nursing shortage by allowing registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to work across 43 participating states and territories, Gov. Ned Lamont and Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani said Thursday.
The Nurse Licensure Compact is designed to expand career mobility for Connecticut nurses and help hospitals and health systems fill staffing gaps, particularly during emergencies or shortages, by eliminating the need for separate state-by-state licenses.
“This compact increases access to care while maintaining public protection,” Lamont said in a statement, noting that modern healthcare requires a mobile workforce.
The agreement not only allows Connecticut nurses to respond to needs across the country, he added, “it also helps us address our own nursing shortage by allowing qualified nurses from other states to practice here more easily.”
Nurses who claim Connecticut as their primary state of residence now can apply for a multistate license, either during annual renewal or at any time. They must meet uniform licensure requirements, including passing state and federal criminal background checks.
Applications are submitted online through the state’s e-license portal, with no added costs beyond the background check fee.
Five New England states, plus New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are participating in the compact, while New York is not. Massachusetts is expected to join the compact at some point in the future.
Legislation authorizing Connecticut to join the compact was proposed by Lamont and approved by lawmakers as part of Public Act 24-83. The state’s participation became effective on Oct. 1.
Juthani said interest has been strong since the launch. “Since our participation in the compact began this fall, we’ve already had more than 3,500 nurses apply,” she said.
Information on how to convert a state license into a multistate license is available
here. For a map of participating jurisdictions, click
here.
